


First Day on the Job, Round 2

by musikurt



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-06
Updated: 2008-07-06
Packaged: 2017-11-02 23:17:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/374461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musikurt/pseuds/musikurt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The new Head of Hogwarts attempts to settle in on her first day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Day on the Job, Round 2

If she had to admit it, she would have said she was indeed a little nervous to go up the staircase and open the door to her new office. Obviously she was no stranger to this part of the castle and had been in the Headmaster’s office many times. In fact, she had been Headmistress herself for a short while—not long enough to really feel at home in the position, unfortunately. This time she knew would be different, though. This time there was no impending war and she knew that she would likely be staying in this new position until she retired. It could and would be her final legacy.

She slowly made her way up, carefully placing her foot on each step as she walked. It had been less than two months since the castle was attacked; Hogwarts, a place that is supposed to be safe for children to learn and grow, ravaged by the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. While she was thankful for the quick repairs, she was not looking forward to taking Albus’—no, she had to give him credit—Severus’ chair.

There was a hesitation when she reached the top of the stairs. Shaking, she reached out and opened the door. The office was no different than it had been when last she saw it, aside from the addition of a portrait of her former colleague added to the wall. An addition that she welcomed and acknowledged as being at least a tad overdue. She quietly closed the door behind her and started toward her desk.

 _So much to do,_ she found herself thinking. _Less than two months before start of term and we still have open faculty positions, some letters have not yet been prepared, I haven’t appointed a new Head of Gryffindor, and certainly have not had time to select a replacement Deputy Head._ She sat down at the desk, hoping that taking a moment would help her find the proper place to begin.

Just then as she leaned her head back, she caught something out of the corner of her eye. Severus was looking at her from his portrait and smiling, something she could not recall seeing him do often in life. She wondered if the artist had made this characterization choice or if, finally, after everything that happened, he finally felt good about himself. After years of pining for one he could not have, and even more years of guilt after he may have caused her death, he had aided her son in avenging her death and protected so many others from harm.

She was pulled from her wanderings by voices outside her window. She had completely forgotten that she was also supposed to meet with the new Minister for Magic this afternoon to discuss a plan for her smooth transition and the reopening of the school. She scooped up her notes in her arms and headed for the door. As she turned back to grab her classes, she noticed that Severus had crossed his arms and his expression had changed to the smug look she had always remembered. Perhaps the smile had simply been her imagination, but regardless, she hoped that her earlier thoughts were correct and that her former colleague—she hesitated to call him friend, simply because that simply was not how they saw each other—was indeed at peace.

She slammed the door behind her and hurried down the stairs—Kingsley was almost to the entrance hall and Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was not one to keep the Minister waiting…


End file.
